The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-01-08
ASKING FOR MORE REVENUE.
The City School Commissioners Show
Their Need of Legislative Relief.
They Decide to Ask for an Increase of the
Debt Limitation to 100000 and the
School Tax Levy to Thirty Cents.

IN their seats last night Wneu Cnaiih"H 0~NS-
sailed the board to order, and before ADJOURN
ment the two absent members arrived. treas
urer Frenzers report showed that the spec'a'
fund and the Gregg income fund amounted 10
elO5. 204 SO, and that the library ana tuition |
funds were both overdrawn. making total pal
sncs Of sl0l 800 g. and leaving an overdrawn |
ea.h balance of S., 249 81. The secretary, MIR.
Baker. reported the expenditures for the past
month from the special fund to have been a.
OO4 90; from the library fund, 81, SO SO, and from
the tuition fund, s27,967 10, making total of
$50, 1888 90.
Superintendent Jones asked for more time In
which to prepare the estimates upon which the
buildings and grounds committee coud make
their reports of needed repairs or new buildings
Seoutrad. and he was allowed until Feb. l. Mr.
Jones also read a paper, partly in the nature OF
report, which dealt with the connection be-
sween the school reading and the library iitera-
ture He suggested that everything put In
school reading should be with a purpose, and
that purpose was to elevate the literature read
BY school children. He said they must be met
epon their own level, and then gradually elevate
their tastes The less commonplace the books
read. and the more moral the greater was the
decrease In the tendency to commit crime His
suggestions and plans, that the library should
be used as supplementary reading with the
textbooks taught were concurred In by the
board.
Mr. Greenstreet asked for permission to ad
yertise for bids for the school enumeration, and
shis was granted. He also as chairman of the
finance and auditing committee. reported that
bills TO the amount OF 1913 ~ had been exam
ined and they were recommended paid by the
committee. This accommodation was con-
surred in.
Mr. Conner reported that Professor Benton.
member of the citizens advisory committee,
appointed to act in conjunction with the High
school committee, had been compelled to resign
his mem bership owing to a change of residence,
and Mr. Gus Matthews had been appointed
In his place. The appointment was unanimous
Mr. Bamberger then read the report of the
committee ways and means. lconsistng OF j:
D. Bingham, j. b. Conner, E. II. Dean and
Henry Jameson. appointed to devise a plan to
relieve the recent bankruptcy OF the board.
To the HonorabIe the Board Of school Commissioners
Gentemen-Tbe committee to whom was referred
the question of ways and means make the following
In 1877 when the act passed limiting the city
tax levy for school purposes to ~ cents on Sioo
Six years later under subsequent apprasement the
valuations reduced to $53 OUO 600; and now the
late apprasement ha, xed the for six years at
SAT 900 600 During the same ten years the annual
average increase of school enroments mas been Sol
run;s or an increase of 81 in that period reaur-
ing one new eght-room building each year for the
past ten years. at average cost OF $23 2o4, in,
eludipg furniture. This increase Of the school
enroments has required the services OF eleven addi
tiona teachers a cost annually of 81, $40. 1t is
seen that under the 2Ocent limitation of ten years
A. y
which then scarcely including funds from all other
sources, maintained the schools whereas now the
Thus ia ten years the school funds the city have
decreased 1925 per cent while the enroim ents
have increased 60 per cent with their attendant IN
cyease Of expenditure. What, but increasing debt.
could be the RESULT
With the present reduction of valuations the school
revenue from the State levy under the law limiting it
TO 16 cents on 800 will be about 10 per cent less
than heretofore. To summarize. the financial condi-
Zion OF school affairs is as follows even with the
late reduction of expenses of about $13 600 an
nuaIy;
Annual expense of schools Gncludng inter
Annoal average requirements for new build
ngs'.. .-----------.---' @o.@o1
Total ANNA, exnendture. $244. sse
Annual revenue, oil sources ------.. IZo'oo,
Annual deficit. $24 25s
The value the school buildings and other property
amounts to $3.50 600. OF this amount $2o2, 5ot
as been expended during the last ten for sites
buildings and furnishings for the district schools
1915. SO for the high.schools The indebtedness OF
July of this year will be $2lO. 600
Under the existing lease. which will expire IN 1S9 L
the board has The option to buy the library buildnt
at 500 900 Whether is be wise to avail ourselves o.
ace increase Of ops school snr.msn
the basis for the next six years estimates and tn
consequent requirements in buildings and add
tional teachers at the end of the present six years
esnts tax limitation prevailing will have added t.
our school debt 1900, S94 and at the end Of tina
period the total debt will be $40. s94
A levy of 80 cents city school tax on 500 wou
Increase the revenues SAT 900 annually. This woul
meet the annual expenses and put $22. 74l annuali
into sinking fund for the extinguishment of tn
present indebtedness, it is believed that the In
ereasing city valuations, by reason of improvements
would nearly if not quite the annually increas
ing requirements of the schools and thus. in five
six years, the present indebtedness might be paid
For comparison. the committee note the tax levie
f school purposes in the following cities which maiI
tein school systems similar to and the ave.
age salaries of the teachers.
Tax levies. Salaries